Swingletree.



A. R. GUARIGLIA.

SWINGLETREE.

APFLICATIONYFILED SEP'LZI. 1914.

WW v Patenteu1 Apr.1l3,1l915.

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THE NORRIS PETERS ca. PHU!u-|.unv., WASHINGTON, D C.

A. R. GUARIGUA.

SWINGLETREE.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.2l. I914.

9 I Patented Apr.13,1l915.

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THE NORRIS PETERS co., PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. C.

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SWINGLETBEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 21, 1914. Serial No. 862,761.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, ANenLo R. GUARIGLIA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Morgantown, in the county of Monongalia and State of WestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSwingletrees, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in swingletreesand more particularly to a swingletree which is used for disconnectingthe draft animal from the vehicle when the animal becomes unmanageable,the main object of the present invention being the provision of aswingletree formed in sections and pivotally mounted upon the cross barof the thills and is provided with means whereby the sections arenormally retained in longitudinal alinement and further provided withmeans whereby to release the retaining means when the driver has lostcontrol of the animal to release the animal from the vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device ofthe above character which will possess advantages in points ofefficiency and durability, is inexpensive to manufacture and, at thesame time, is simple in construction and operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure1 is atop plan view illustrating a swingletree con structed inaccordance with my invention, the same being shown in its normalposition. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the device, after it hasbeen released. Fig. 3 is a detail plan View of the central portion ofthe swingletree illustrating the locking member. Fig. d is a transversesectional view taken on the line 44:, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail topplan view of the central portion of the swingletree,portions thereofbeing eliminated. Fig.

7 is a detail rear edge elevation, illustrating a normally operativeposition of the locl ing member; and Fig. 8 is a detail longitudinalsectional View of one end of the swingletree, illustrating the manner ofmounting the removable pins.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the thillswhich are connected, adjacent their inner ends by means of theconnecting bar 2, upon which my improvedswingletree is mounted.

The numerals 3 and 4 indicate the respective sections of my improvedswingletree. The section 3 is provided upon opposite sides thereof atthe inner ends with plates 5, the outer edges of which project beyondthe outer longitudinal edge of the section and extending therethrough,is a pivot pin 6, which forms a pivot between the two sections, thesection 4 being provided upon opposite edges thereof with the strap 7,said strap providing a tapering loop 8 at the inner ends thereof toreceive the pivot pin 6, whereby the two sections are pivotallyconnected together and adapted to swing inwardly toward each other. Thesection 4 is provided upon one face thereof with a lug 9 and the section3 is provided upon its inner longitudinal'edge with a plate 10, theinner end of which projects on to the edge of the section 4 and isprovided with an elongated opening 11, whereby to receive the lug 9, soas to retain said sections in a normally alined position.

The section 4, being somewhat longer than the section 3, is provided atits inner end with a transverse opening 12, to receive the pivot bolt 13which pivotally connects the swingletree with the transverse bar 2, ofthe thills. The plate 10 which is secured to the inner longitudinal edgeof the section 3 is provided upon the inner edge'thereof with anoutwardly projecting flange 14, having rearwardly extending spaced ears15 in which the pivot pin 16 is mounted. Mounted for pivotal movementupon the swingletree is the lockingmember 17 which includes a bodyportion comprising spaced parallel side members integrally connected attheir ends, said side members being bent to form a horizontal portion18, an inclined portion 19 and a second horizontal portion 20, havingits inner end provided with downwardly projecting tapering portions 21,adapted to be normally arranged adjacent the lug 9. The horizontalportions 20 are provided upon their inner edges with downwardlyprojecting perforated ears 22 which are mounted upon the pin 16 forpivotal movement. It will be noted that the inner ends Patented Apr. 13,fell-b.

of the arms forming the body of the locking member 17, converge inwardlyto form a V shaped notch .23 adapted to engage over an upwardlyprojecting lug 24: to securely retain the locking member in a lockingposition.

The upwardly projecting flange 25 formed at the inner end of the lockingmember is provided with an elongated recess 26, whereby to receive areleasing strap which extends rearwardly to the seat of the vehicle soas to be readilyaccessible to the driver.

From this. itwill be apparent that by pulling rearwardly upon the flange25 of the loclnng member, the downwardly proyecting end 21 will beforced against the lug, forcing thelug 9 out of the opening 11, so thatthe two sections 3 and 4 may be pulled outwardly to release the animal.In order to releasetheanimal entirely from the 'swingletree, the ends ofthe swingletree or the sections thereof are provided with longitudinallyextending bores 27 in which the removable pins 28 are arranged, saidpins having slotted head portions adapted to receive the trace hooks 29.From this it will be apparent that when the sections 3 and 4 are pulledto the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the pins 28 can be readily pulledfrom the ends of the sections so as to entirely release the animal fromthe vehicle.

. In order to release the hold-back straps 30, I provide suitableretaining sleeves 31, which are secured to the inner sides of the thills1 and removably arranged therein are the -pins'32 having slotted heads33 and arranged within these heads are the rings 34 to which thehold-back straps are connected. From this it will be apparent that theback pressure generally applied to the hold-backs, may be quicklyapplied to the thills and these'hold-back straps may be quickly andreadily released "by having the auxiliary straps 35 applied to the outerends of the pins, the forward movement of the draft animals readilypulling the pins 32 from the sleeves 31. 1 From the above descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the

operation of my improved swingletree or horse detacher will be readilyapparent as follows :Should the draft animal become uncontrollable thedriver will pull upon the releasing strap 36, forcing the tapered end 21of the locking member against the lug 9, forcing outwardly upon thesection 4 and the pulling of the animal upon the swingletree 7 sections,will force them to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the pins28 may be quickly and readily withdrawn from the ends thereof toentirely release thetraces. The hold-back straps will be readilyreleased by forward pulling movement of the draft 66 animals upon theauxiliary straps 35, which will removethe pins 32 from'the slots. 31.

The device, as herein shown and described, is extremely simple inconstructlon and can be manufactured and placed upon the market at acomparatively low cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, itwill be obvious that various changes in the details the scope of theinvention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim is l. A device of theclass described including pivotally connected sections normally Hdisposed in longitudinal alinement, a plate secured to one of thelongitudinal edges of one of the sections and projecting beyond theinner end thereof, the projecting end ing, a lug formed upon thelongitudinal edge of the other section and normally disposed within saidopening to normally retain the sections in longitudinal alinement,

of said plate being provided with an .openan upwardly projecting flangeformed upon said plate having spaced perforated lugs formed integraltherewith, a locking member having perforated lugs adapted to bearranged in alinement with the first lugs, a

pivot pin extendingthrough said lugs to mount the locking member, andmeans whereby to manually actuate the locking member, the inner endthereof bearing against the lug to release the sections.

2. A device of the class described including pivotally connectedsections normally disposed in longitudinal alinement, removable pinsarranged in the outer, ends of the sections, a plate secured to one ofthe longi tudinal edges of one of the sections and projecting at itsinner end beyond the end of p the section, said plate being providedwith an opening at its inner end, a lug formed on the other section atits longitudinal edge and adapted to be disposed within said opening, asecond lug formed upon the upper face of the second section, a pivotedlocking member carried by said plate and having a down-turned endadapted to engagethe lug, said locking member having a V-shaped notch inits other end to engage the second lug and lock said plate, and meansconnected with the upper end of the plate and adapted to be manuallyoperated to actuate the plate and engage one end thereof with the firstlug to release the sections.

8. A swingletree including pivotally connected sections normallydisposed in longitudinal alinement, a plate secured to one of thelongitudinal edges of one section and projecting beyond the inner end ofthe other section, the projecting end of said plate having an opening, alug formed upon the longitudinal edge of the other section and normallydisposed within said opening, an upwardly projecting flange formed uponsaid mentioned lug to disengage the locking plate from the lug andrelease the sections. 25 In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANGELO R. GUARIGLIA.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. BARTALOW, LEONARD RIoH.

C'opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

